Page 100 of Nuclear Option (Owens Protective Services)

“Well…honestly, right now I’m just thinking about the immediate future.”

I shifted in my seat, my hand draped over the wheel as I glanced at her. “You don’t think about our future?”

All the humor was wiped from her face in an instant. “Look, Cash, I’m not saying I’m moving away. I was mostly teasing about that.”

“Mostly.”

“Yeah, I mean, no one knows the future.”

“But your future consists of moving to Nebraska and living a nice, boring life.”

“Cash—”

“So, all this was for nothing,” I huffed out. “I risked my life day after day because you mean something to me, and you’re just going to go live in some podunk town to have a dull life.”

She shook her head in irritation. “You’re putting words in my mouth.”

“No, that’s literally what you said.”

“Look, I never said I wanted to live with you when this was over. That was all you!”

“Then what about what you said to your aunt? Did you mean any of that?”

“I meant every word, but are you not hearing me? I’ve never lived for myself. Would it really be so bad if I got to make a decision that was best for me?”

“It wouldn’t be if you actually talked to me about it first.”

“I didn’t realize I had to.”

“That’s what people in relationships do, Eva. They discuss things like the future. Like…do you want to get married? Do you want kids?”

“I never thought I would get marriedorhave kids, so it’s not exactly on my mind! Don’t you get it? I need to make some decisions once all this pressure is off me, and it has to be what I want.”

I shook my head, pissed as hell that we were once again back at the beginning. Every time we took a step forward, she pushed me two steps back. I didn’t know how to get through to her. I wanted her, no matter if she was running or free. But that clearly wasn’t what she wanted. She only wanted me for what I could give her, which at the moment was protection. Christ, I was a fucking idiot for thinking I could create something out of this relationship.

“Cash—”

“How about we just table this discussion for now. It doesn’t matter anyway. We have to find the evidence and end this thing before we can even think about what happens when this is over.”

31

EVA

We wereboth silent the rest of the drive. When we pulled over at a motel, I thought for sure there would be some sort of discussion. Instead, he told me to wait in the truck as he grabbed a couple of rooms. But it wasn’t two seconds after he walked away that Rae slipped in beside me.

“What did you do?”

“What?” I asked in confusion.

“I know that walk,” she snorted. “So, what did you do?”

I sighed, resting my head in my hand. “Can we not do this right now?”

“Look, whatever it is, you need to fix it. That walk is the walk of a man who feels like he’s lost everything, and that’s no way to fight a battle.”

“We’re not in a battle,” I grumbled.

“If you really think that, then you know nothing about what we’re up against. I’ve never seen Cash lay everything on the line for anyone before, but he did for you. Whatever this is about, you need to find a way to fix it.”

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